Fall of the Moon
by yukuro
Summary: After finally completing his life's mission, Kuroba Kaito, otherwise known as Kaitou KID, finds himself under Shinichi's scrutinizing care. With his goal accomplished, is it finally time to consider a career change? Kaito x Shinichi
1. Light Side

**Disclaimer: **Trust me, you would _so _be able to tell if I owned them. D:

**Pairing:** Kuroba Kaito x Kudou Shinichi

**Note:** I'm stupid, and in this fic, the Detective Conan and Magic Kaitou characters all attend the same university. They rarely see each other, but they're there. 8D

**Fall of the Moon**

_By: yukuro_

**Light Side:** Shinichi

Two long years and a season later, Kaitou Kid found his search come to a dramatic halt. He had finally acclaimed what he had been searching for and finally protected his father's final wishes. The price, however, was not light. That night, he fell out of the sky with two bullets in his left shoulder and tracks of a grazed bullet across his right cheek.

It was Shinichi who found him first. While the other policemen shouted commands and communications through their radios, Shinichi swiftly calculated where Kid would be landing and dashed off before anyone could take notice. He found Kid, after several minutes of sprinting, crumpled in an ally under his bloodstained cape, unconscious yet still tightly clutching the jewel he had attained from his heist in his palm close to his heart. For a moment, Shinichi felt his breath catch in his throat and the beating of his heart nearly halted.

When the police arrived to patrol the area, there was no trace of Kid or Shinichi to be found.

All he could see was a blur of blue, brown, and a hint of red in the corner of his vision. It took several minutes for Kaito to fully open his eyes. His eyes shifted slowly from side to side, surveying his surroundings. Realizing that he was in an unfamiliar place, he bolted up into a sitting position immediately—only to be greeted by immense pain throughout his body.

"Relax, Kaitou Kid," came Shinichi's voice as he kicked himself off the wall he was leaning on. Blue gaze intent, he added coolly, "Or should I say Kuroba Kaito?"

Kaito stiffened for a moment as Shinichi continued to make his way towards him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and let out a tiny laugh. "As expected from you," he praised with a smile twisted in mixed feelings. "It only takes a little while to find out, I suppose."

"I had more than enough time," Shinichi commented smoothly, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed Kaito was presently resting on. "You've been sleeping for three days. I discovered your identity on the first day. On the second day, I called your mother to tell her you were staying with a friend."

"You really have thought of everything, haven't you? I'm just surprised you never noticed me at the university," Kaito laughed, wincing when a jolt of pain shot through his head. With Shinichi's help, he slowly lowered himself back down onto the bed. Sighing, he asked in defeat, "Where is this place anyway?"

"I couldn't take you to the hospital; the police would have asked questions," Shinichi began, pouring water into a glass for the other teen. "So I brought you back to my house. I dressed your wounds myself."

"Heh, taking care of gunshot wounds by yourself?" Kaito commented aloud with a whistle. "You must be quite experienced."

"It pays to know your resources," Shinichi mumbled in slight embarrassment. His cheeks turned faintly pink, making him turn his face away to hide it. Silently, he stuck a straw in the glass and offered it to the surprised teen on the bed. Still slightly embarrassed, Shinichi mumbled again, "You shouldn't move around much. You had two bullet wounds in your shoulder, a concussion, two cracked ribs, and a sprained ankle. There were also a number of cuts and bruises over your whole body…"

It was then Kaito realized he had been changed and dressed in fresh, new clothes. A sly smile crossed his lips as he teased, "Ah, so you even changed my clothes for me? See anything you liked?"

"S-Shut up!" Shinichi growled in mortification, instantly rising to his feet and slamming the glass of water back onto the nightstand. Before he could escape, however, Kaito firmly grasped his wrist. Trapped, Shinichi could only turn his face away to hide his blush.

"I'm sorry for teasing you!" Kaito laughed in a genuine apology. Slowly, his gaze turned soft and his grip loosened, allowing Shinichi to slowly turn back towards him. Once their gazes connected, Kaito smiled gently. "Thank you for saving me. If it weren't for you, I really would have died. So… Really, thank you…Shinichi."

"…Idiot," Shinichi managed to mutter to himself as Kaito's grip tightened around his wrist again and pulled him downwards.

Their lips met softly at first, as if testing thin ice. Then, as they slowly remembered the feel of each other's skin, their kiss grew more passionate and desperate. As usual, Shinichi was the first to pull away from lack of air. Seeing Kaito's satisfied grin only made him duck his head lower to avoid having the redness in his face being discovered.

The first time they met again as Kaitou Kid and Kudou Shinichi (after regaining his body), they had accidentally kissed. Just like it was when he was Conan, Shinichi managed to corner Kid before the magician's final grand escape. Just before Shinichi could alert the rest of the police force around the corner of their whereabouts, Kid had promptly pressed them both up against a wall and let his lips crash into Shinichi's to keep the other boy from shouting out. It was only a chaste kiss, but it had left Shinichi so breathless and stunned, Kid managed to slip out the very moment the police rounded the corner to their position.

The second time they met, Kid kissed him on purpose and Shinichi protested. The same thing happened the third time and also the fourth. By the fifth time, Shinichi had given up on fighting back and found himself angrily blushing at the thief's back as he flew away on his hang-glider. Their meetings continued like that. There were a few occasions on which Kid had mischievously allowed his hands to roam Shinichi's body, only serving to further embarrass Shinichi. And it was because of this and his almost-positive responses to Kid's advances that Shinichi could no longer look Ran in the eye. She was the perfect girl for him, yet not so anymore. To himself, Shinichi blamed Kid for making him only think about him. It had already far surpassed a mere detective's obsession to capture his greatest rival thief.

"Are these your clothes, Shinichi?" Kaito asked in amusement, waving his uninjured right arm. Grinning, he winked, stating, "They have your scent. Ah, I'm in heaven! Wearing my lover's clothes!"

"W—… When did I become your lover?" Shinichi demanded hotly as he bitterly peeled an apple for his guest. Just for further resentment, he added on as an afterthought, "You stupid thief."

"Oh? Then why didn't you turn me in?" asked Kaito with a slightly more serious tone, a smile still on his face. "You would have turned in any other criminal, right? That makes me special, doesn't it?"

"As annoying as it is," Shinichi began, stiffly offering a sliced apple piece to the other teen, "I can't see you as a criminal for some reason. I've heard thousands of pathetic sob stories about why people have turned against the law, but for some reason you… You're different, and I hate that I don't understand why."

Kaito chuckled for a moment before accepting the apple slice that was held patiently up to his lips. Musing smile on his face, he contemplated, "That's right. Sometimes I forget that I've already told you about what happened with my father, even though it's already been a long time. That's something I never meant to share with anyone."

"Then why did you share it with me?" Shinichi asked seriously, letting his arm fall slowly back to his side.

"I'm not sure," Kaito answered honestly with a grin. "Should I say, 'you're different' too? It's something like that anyway."

They remained silent for a few moments before Shinichi sighed inwardly to himself and began to cut another apple slice for Kaito. Quietly, he stated, "Everyone thinks Kaitou Kid is dead. Fans are weeping, jewel holders are rejoicing, and the police are stunned in shock. What do you plan on doing?"

"What do you mean by that?" Kaito asked curiously, once again accepting the apple slice offered to his lips.

Closing his eyes, Shinichi muttered, "Of all the men in the organization that were shooting at you that night, two of them got away. It would be stupid to think they wouldn't try to come after you again if they knew you were still alive."

Slowly, a serious expression came across Kaito's face as he fully processed what Shinichi was implying. "Shinichi, what you're saying is…"

"Quit being Kid," Shinichi cut in seriously, his gaze revealing a hint of genuine concern. "You've already accomplished what you've been aiming for and you barely got out alive with just that. If you continue like this, you'll be in even more danger. Dying would be the final way to shatter your father's dreams."

"You said it yourself," Kaito sighed, turning his gaze to direct it at the corner of the room. "There are still two of them out there. I can't just leave them alone. Who knows what they'll do. If I'm not Kid—…"

"If you're not Kid, you'll be safe," Shinichi cut in once again with a firm tone. "I don't know why I bother to worry about you, but I can't let you end up like this again. Promise me I won't have to drag your half-dead body back to my house like this again. Besides, there are other ways of finding them."

Kaito almost laughed aloud when Shinichi's intent sank in. The idea seemed ridiculous to him, but Shinichi's gaze was not wavering. He was serious. Kaito felt the good humor left in his body melt away, replaced with a heavy weight of solemnity. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Become a detective, huh? As a thief, I would rather die, but…"

Reaching up, he touched the side of Shinichi's serious face and smiled softly. The other teen let his expression soften slightly in response, but the seriousness in his gaze remained steady. Kaito finally commented with a half smile, "How can I leave you alone? I've felt the graze of a bullet countless times already and I haven't been able to give up being Kid. But after living like this," he laughed slightly, palm falling to clutch Shinichi's, "I have to think that I'm not quite ready to die yet."

"Kuroba…" Shinichi began slowly. Before his lips could form another word, Kaito pulled him down onto the bed again and their lips crashed together. Their blue gazes reflected back at each other their silent intentions before coming to an understanding. Then slowly, Shinichi felt his eyes flutter shut.

It was a while before Shinichi realized his shirt was being unbuttoned. Flushing furiously, he drew back instantly, only to be held down by Kaito's uninjured arm. Unable to escape, the detective immediately protested in an angrily embarrassed tone, "D-Don't be an idiot, Kuroba! You shouldn't even be moving!"

"But I've been holding back very well," Kaito protested sweetly, batting his lashes. His left hand worked dexterously to unbutton the rest of Shinichi's shirt before moving on to his pants. Kaito smirked as Shinichi blushed and made a sound of protest. "I've been wanting to do this to you since the second time we met."

"Pervert," Shinichi grumbled in irritation as Kaito latched his lips on his exposed stomach. The detective drew back slightly with a sigh. With one hand, he pushed Kaito back down by his bandaged head. Frowning, he extended a finger and pointed it towards the thief's neatly bandaged chest. "I didn't want to do this, but…"

In one swift motion, Shinichi extended his finger again and prodded the other boy's chest. It was then Kaito remembered the meaning of "cracked rib" and fell back with a hiss of pain. His hands instantly fell away from Shinichi's body. The teen detective then calmly got off the bed and fixed his clothing as if nothing had happened.

"You're so cruel, Shinichi!" Kaito pouted with fake tears in his eyes. He clasped his hands together dramatically. "I really wanted to hold you!"

"Please don't say such sickeningly shoujou manga type things," Shinichi declared with a frown as he finished buttoning his last button. Seeing Kaito's pathetic puppy-dog expression, he paused for a minute before turning his head away with a snap. Flushing yet again, he cleared his throat and mumbled under his breath, "Something embarrassing like that…I might end up letting you do it someday, stupid thief."

Unfortunately for Shinichi, Kaito had heard him and beamed brilliantly at his back. A life like this, Kaito supposed he could get used to.

* * *

After spending a week cooped up inside Shinichi's house, Kaito was finally able to walk again as his sprained ankle completely healed. It was only due to Shinichi's firm command to rest more that he was still not returning to his classes at the university. Whenever he called his mother back at home, Kaito always found that he had countless messages from a worried Aoko and a suspiciously curious Hakuba. Nevertheless, just one commanding look from Shinichi and Kaito instantly tossed his concerns out the window. He may as well enjoy hanging all over Shinichi while he had the opportunity—he doubted a chance like this would come around again so easily. That, and there was the great opportunity to tour the Kudou mansion. 

Kaito let out a low whistle as he strolled around the library. The bookshelves seemed endlessly high, and all of them completely stocked with detective books. Shinichi was laid elegantly across the couch, completely engrossed in reading whatever new book he had but still managing to keep an eye on the other teen over the top of the cover. Kaito turned back to grin at him. "Like a true Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fan, you've got every Sherlock Holmes book ever published."

Shinichi simply rolled his eyes and continued reading. Carelessly, he commented, "What do you expect? My father was a mystery writer. What better references to use than the best?"

"I guess it's asking too much to have some books on Lupin, huh?" Kaito asked with a grin.

Without bothering to look up from his book, Shinichi simply waved his hand towards the corner of the library in response. Kaito instantly slid in the direction Shinichi had mentioned, and sure enough, several familiar books came into Kaito's sight. He could hardly help but grin. "So besides having a detective complex, you've got a thief complex too?"

"Like I said," Shinichi replied without missing a beat, "what better references to use than the best? If you want to catch or create the greatest thieves, you'd have to study up on the best."

"Always logical I see," laughed Kaito as he continued strolling about the library. After circling the room, he slowly made his way towards Shinichi. Seeing that Shinichi did not even bother to spare him a glance, Kaito slid onto the couch and decided to make himself known by snaking his arms around the other teen's waist from behind. Deviously, he whispered with a smirk, "Are you sure that thief complex doesn't come from a certain someone?"

"Doubt it," Shinichi instantly responded in a dull tone, only shifting slightly to avoid Kaito's still-healing cracked ribs. He commented stonily as he turned a page, "The only thieves I know are idiots."

"How cruel," Kaito breathed into his ear, smirk still curling his lips. When Shinichi shivered at the sensation, Kaito took the opportunity to snatch away the detective's book and toss it over his shoulder. There was a pleasing thump on the ground several feet away and an even more pleasing frown on Shinichi's face. Kaito loved that expression. It made Shinichi look like he was pouting. Tightening his grip on the frowning boy, Kaito whispered again with a grin, "You're adorable like that."

"And you're acting like a newlywed on his honeymoon," Shinichi said with a sniff as he turned his head away. Unfortunately for him, Kaito took the opportunity to attack his neck with his lips. Shinichi felt blood shoot directly up to his face. "That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Don't flail," Kaito commanded between breaks for air as he trailed his lips to Shinichi's shoulder. "You wouldn't want to put an injured person in pain, would you?"

"Don't tempt me," Shinichi scowled.

Kaito simply chuckled, reaching up to take hold of Shinichi's chin and turn it towards him for a kiss. Surprisingly, Shinichi was being very obedient today. Kaito took it as a good sign and allowed his free hand to wander a bit—only to be instantly swatted at. Sharp blue eyes opened to stare pointedly at him, so he gave up for now. Instead, he fully intended on completely stealing Shinichi's breath away. Literally.

Just as Kaito managed to get Shinichi all flustered the way he liked him to be, a female voice rang through the house. Shinichi instantly froze and smacked Kaito away precisely the moment the door opened.

"There you are, Shinichi. Ah, and Kuroba-kun too. Good afternoon," Ran greeted cheerfully. "I brought you two some food for later on. I'm sure Kuroba-kun's already gotten sick of Shinichi's cooking."

"As long as I can feel his love in every meal, the taste doesn't matter!" Kaito declared dramatically, tossing his arm out and making a rose appear in his grasp. Shinichi instantly snatched the rose from the magician's hand and tossed it out the window. Kaito grinned when Ran giggled at their actions. "Thanks for taking care of me this last week with all your wonderful cooking, Ran-chan. You're sure to make a great wife one day."

Ran managed a gracious blush while Shinichi shot Kaito a death glare. Setting down the basket of food by the door, the girl smiled. Before stepping out again, she said, "Don't worry about it! Just make sure you hurry up and heal yourself so you can get back to school. See you later then, Kuroba-kun, Shinichi."

Shinichi managed a weak smile at her before she disappeared through the door again. Once Ran was safely out of earshot, he turned and smacked the back of Kaito's head with a furious blush. "That's the third time she almost saw us! Can't you be a _bit_ more discreet?"

"She's really important to you, isn't she?" Kaito asked with a slightly amused grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Of course," Shinichi scoffed in reply with a tint of red on his face. Tone lowering a notch, he mumbled, "If it weren't for you, I probably would have asked her out already… That's why you…"

Noting Shinichi's obvious embarrassment at the topic, Kaito regressed. Although, he had to admit to himself that he was just a bit jealous at how much Shinichi still cared about Ran. Deciding to lighten the mood, he piped up again.

"You know, if it were up to me, we wouldn't be dressed right now and Ran-chan could've watched," Kaito commented with a grin and a shrug, earning himself another furious whack on the back of the head. Rubbing the back of his head playfully, he laughed, "Shinichi, you'll give me another concussion."

"You deserve it!"

"I was just kidding about what I said earlier," Kaito said with a goofy grin, reaching out to pull the detective into another messy hug. On second thought, he added, "Well, mostly."

At that, Shinichi let out an indignant sputter about being a pervert, giving Kaito the opportunity to push him over for another kiss to silence him.

Yes, Kaito thought to himself as he gazed down at Shinichi's blush-stained face, he could definitely get used to living like this.

* * *

When Shinichi deemed Kaito was fit enough, they returned to university together, and Kaito made a visit to the police department. There were a few skeptics here and there, but since he had come on Shinichi's recommendation, most had no choice but to give way. Kaito did thoroughly enjoy seeing the completely and utterly shocked expression that adorned Nakamori's face though. It almost made the whole experience worth it. But after that incident, Aoko, with Hakuba at her heels, immediately stormed him the next time he showed his face at school. 

"Kaito! Why haven't you been answering my calls?" she demanded the moment said teen eased into his seat. He was still injured after all; he had to take it easy. With a frown, she added, "And what's this my father tells me about you becoming a detective?"

Hakuba looked completely scandalized.

Kaito simply gave a shrug in response, leaning over to prop his head on his desk with his arm. Vaguely, he answered, "A special promise."

"You were such a Kaitou Kid fan too. It's horrible what happened to him, but it's too strange for you to suddenly make a choice like this," Aoko commented with a frown on her face. "It's not that I'm not glad you're going to work with father now, but I'm kind of surprised. Is there really someone that important to you?"

He could have sworn there was some hurt in her voice when she asked that, but Kaito forced his wrenching heart to remain silent. Instead of responding, he turned and smiled almost painfully at her, hoping for a turn-around with just that.

Aoko got the clue that he did not wish to talk about it, but Hakuba had not even gotten started yet.

"It's a miracle you're still alive," he began sternly, fury burning in his eyes. "After a stunt like that… Then you _disappear_ for two weeks! I really thought you were dead!"

Kaito let out a laugh. Setting his poker face in place, he turned to grin at the other boy. "What're you talking about, Hakuba? I was just staying with a friend—although he's more like a mother hen, really. Ah, but wait! You were worried about me? That's so cute."

The light haired teen could only shoot him a look as Aoko glanced questioningly back and forth between them. "And," he went on a bit stiffly, ignoring Kaito's last bit, "you becoming a detective is really ironic. I'd be interested in meeting who caused this sudden change of heart."

"Oh, cut it out, Hakuba," Kaito declared with a wide, playful smile on his face as he extended his uninjured arm to pat Hakuba roughly on the back. "The last thing I need is another mother figure! I've already got plenty of those. Between Aoko and Shinichi, I've got enough to keep me covered for the rest of my life."

Hakuba raised an eyebrow. "Shinichi? Kudou Shinichi? The _detective_ Kudou Shinichi? He's the friend you were staying with?"

"Did I say that?" Kaito asked innocently, instantly rising to his feet. Grinning, he saluted at the two before slinging his bag over his shoulder and strolling towards the door.

"Kaito!" Aoko called after him with a frown. "What about class?"

Waving over his shoulder, Kaito called out in response, "Ditching!"

Once Kaito disappeared through the door, Aoko's frown deepened as she folded her arms. Giving up with a sigh, she dropped her arms again and let her brows knit upward in concern. Turning to the boy at her side, who was still staring after Kaito, Aoko asked as if he would know, "What's wrong with Kaito, Hakuba-kun? He's just not like _Kaito_ anymore even though he's smiling the same way as always. And Kaito would never ditch class before."

"That's what happens when you give up such a large piece of your existence," Hakuba muttered, closing his eyes and turning away from the door. When he opened his eyes again, his award-winning smile had returned to his face. "Why don't we get seated? Class is going to start soon."

Aoko could only nod obediently, shifting her gaze one last time at the door before taking her seat beside Hakuba. Whatever the missing piece, she hoped Kaito would find it.

On the other side of the door, Kaito held his head low as he leaned against the door. His bangs shaded his eyes, making a few passing students stare curiously at him for a bit. When one of his classmates who was just arriving awkwardly asked him if he was going to class, Kaito kicked himself off the door and managed a brief smile before straying down the hallway. At the moment, class was the last place he wanted to be. Just being near Hakuba and Aoko in general somehow made him feel uneasy. Was it really because he no longer had his confident alter ego to rely on?

Kaito quickened his pace slightly, allowing his feet to carry him off in any general direction. He felt frustrated and somewhat lost at the same time. Somewhere deep in his mind, he supposed he had to give up being Kid one day. He just had not expected it to be so soon. Kid was a part the fabric of his being. To finally accomplish the mission he had originally set out to achieve and hang up his cape, Kaito felt rather hollow inside. But he had promised Shinichi because Shinichi wanted him guaranteed safe. Speaking of Shinichi…

"Kuroba?"

When Kaito lifted his head a fraction, sure enough, Shinichi was bent over in attempt to find his obstructed gaze. Without warning, Kaito reached forward and firmly clasped his hand onto Shinichi's arm and marched towards the wall. Fortunately, no one was presently around as Kaito pulled Shinichi into the utility closet and locked the door behind them.

Before Shinichi could get even a syllable in, Kaito pulled him close and desperately pressed their lips together. Shinichi could easily sense Kaito's frustration, confusion, and need to search for an answer. For that reason, he simply closed his eyes and let Kaito do as he pleased. Letting out a soft sigh as the other teen kissed fervently at his neck, Shinichi tilted his head slightly to allow for better access. "What are you doing out here, Kuroba? Don't you have class?"

"I needed to see you," Kaito breathed, returning for another passionate kiss on the lips. "I can't seem to do anything without seeing you."

"You say crazy things when you're depressed," Shinichi muttered, swatting at Kaito's hands when they attempted to completely unbutton his shirt. He would let Kaito kiss him, but going further than that in public was not exactly something he looked forward to. "Stop it. We're still at school."

"You haven't even let me do it once yet," Kaito complained with a pout.

At that, Shinichi leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on the other boy's lips—not without a blush at his own expense, of course. "You look much better now," he observed with a relieved sigh. "That's a much more natural expression for you."

"Of course," Kaito replied, finding his smile again. "I do have more than one intention when I say I want to see you."

"Could have fooled me," Shinichi shot back dryly as he pointed commandingly at his shirt. Kaito simply laughed and obediently began to re-button the shirt he had previously unbuttoned. Once the shirt was straightened out and completely buttoned again, Shinichi found Kaito's full attention returned to his eyes. Unable to take the full weight of the gaze, Shinichi turned his head slightly with faintly pink cheeks. "Kuroba…"

"Isn't it about time you started calling me 'Kaito'?" the other boy asked with a grin as he swept at the detective's lengthening bangs. "Don't I already call you by your given name?"

"That's something you decided for yourself," Shinichi mumbled. "And when do you plan on letting us out of this closet?"

"After you agree to start calling me 'Kaito,'" responded Kaito cheerfully. "Won't you do it, Shinichi? I'm perfectly fine with spending all this alone time in the dark with you, you know."

"I'd rather call you 'Pervert.' It suits you more."

Kaito laughed and leaned forward to capture Shinichi's frowning lips.

The time spent in the closet afterwards was not very long at all.

At times, they were like the sun and moon—endlessly chasing each other, never being able to reach. But there were also times they crashed together, and light was radiated even in the depths of darkness.

Tsuzuku.

* * *

**A/N:** Second fic for my anniversary. Yay, fic number fifty is a Conan fic! 8D This plot was just some weird little thing I was thinking about one day and randomly started writing. It...was supposed to have been a drabble. And now it's a full-length fic with two parts. Whoas. (But you'll have to forgive the lameness of it all.) That's ok. The fandom could always use a bit more Kaito/Shinichi :) 

Thanks for reading! Drop a line and look forward to part two!


	2. Dark Side

**Disclaimer:** Disclaim'd. D:

**Pairing:** Kuroba Kaito x Kudou Shinichi

**Fall of the Moon**

_By: yukuro_

**Dark Side:** Kaito

"…and the only culprit who could have managed all that can only be…"

"Murakawa-san the janitor who knows the layout of the house, of course," Kaito finished Shinichi's deduction with a hint of a smirk as the accused man sputtered wildly in blazing anger. The man was glaring daggers at them both, and before the police could react, he pulled out a pocketknife and charged in blind anger towards the calmly standing Shinichi. Kaito could only tsk. "Don't even try it please."

With the first snap of Kaito's fingers, handcuffs appeared on the man's wrists, forcing him to stumble backwards in shock. Shinichi felt a trace of a grin crawl onto his lips. Kaito was beginning his little magic show again.

The second snap caused the man's ankles to be shackled. The suspect was so shocked that the knife clattered noisily to the ground. But Kaito was far from finished. The third snap caused the lights to go out with a single spotlight on the accused. He was also completely naked, save some brightly striped underpants. The clothes instantly appeared in a neat pile in the nearest police officer's arms, thoroughly confusing said officer. The women in room quickly averted their eyes from the suspect while several of the policemen could not help but snicker. The humiliated man sank down to his knees in complete and utter defeat.

After the man was properly arrested and put away into the police cars, the police officers one by one clapped a hand on Kaito's shoulder to compliment him on his show. Kaito simply grinned and took a generous bow. Seeing Shinichi standing off to the side alone surveying the scene quietly, Kaito waved briefly at the policemen before dashing off to join the other teen.

"So tell me, my dear," Kaito began in a dramatic tone, producing a rose for Shinichi, "were you impressed? I'm good enough to be acknowledged by you now, right?"

As usual, Shinichi took the rose and tossed it over his shoulder, where it instantly reappeared in Kaito's hand after disappearing in midair with a snap of his fingers. Shinichi rolled his eyes a bit, but could not conceal the small smile that was tugging at his lips. "Amusing, Kaito, but don't you think that may have been a little too much? I feel kind of bad for him."

Kaito quickly waved it off carelessly. "Don't worry about him. He'll be able to mull it over in prison," he said with a drifting tone. Turning, he winked suggestively while leaning in closer. "That's a little trick I'd like to try on you. The classic disappearing clothes."

"Why don't you save that for someone who's interested?" Shinichi shot back dryly, pushing the other boy's face back with an open palm. He hoped his embarrassment was not too clearly shown on his face. Clearing his throat as he removed his palm from Kaito's face, he admitted quietly, "You did do well though. I was…impressed. Just a little."

"Are going to make tonight lucky for me?" Kaito asked with a playful grin as he looped his arm around Shinichi's shoulders.

"No," Shinichi replied flatly, stomping forward while pushing Kaito's arm off his shoulders. Laughing all the while, Kaito trailed after him.

"Kudou-kun! Kuroba-kun! Excellent work tonight!"

The two instantly paused in their tracks and turned to face the familiar inspector who called out to them. Shinichi offered a slight bow of the head as Megure approached them, but Kaito simply grinned widely, slapping his arm back around Shinichi's shoulders. He purposely failed to acknowledge the glare Shinichi was shooting at him and chirped at the inspector, "Haha, it was nothing."

"You were particularly surprising," the stout inspector complimented with a pleased expression. "I must admit, I first had my doubts, but after Kudou-kun's reassurance and your performance today, my worries have been completely dispelled!"

"That's just because Shinichi and I are such an excellent team, no?" Kaito laughed, pulling the other teen closer and letting his hand drop down for a quick mischievous grope. Winking, he asked, "You agree, don't you, my dear?"

Before Shinichi could form angry words from his open mouth, Megure cut in with a chortle, "Of course he does!"

Shinichi simply stared in disbelief. Apparently, Megure had missed out on Kaito's wording and suggestive actions.

"Well, call it a day, boys," the man said cheerfully, patting both teens heartily on the back. Blinking suddenly as if remembering something, he paused for a moment. "Oh, that's right. I don't know if you'll be interested, but something big is happening in the middle of the city tonight."

"What is it?" Shinichi asked, slightly intrigued.

"Fan-funeral for Kaitou Kid," Kaito declared in awkwardly resonating cheer, a strange smile adorning his face. Shinichi found everything about his expression to be terribly fake. Of course, Kaito was aware of that—Shinichi was frowning pointedly at him—but he simply continued to keep his smiling mask in place as he continued, "There were countless witnesses who saw him shot out of the sky after all."

"True, that was quite a pity," Megure sighed, surprising Kaito. "I heard from Nakamori he was classified to be just a boy. He may have been a thief, but to lose his life like that is just too harsh."

Shinichi felt his insides twist up and clench horribly. When Kaito's grip on his shoulders tightened slightly, he glanced over in concern. Kaito's head was ducked and low, but that heartbreaking smile was still trapped on his lips. Shinichi could only bite his lip and slowly lift his hand to lightly touch Kaito's clasped one on his shoulder.

"It's getting late. We should really be going," Shinichi apologized to the inspector with a bow to excuse themselves. Once the man nodded in recognition, Shinichi, hand still over Kaito's, pulled his friend forward slowly so they could get away from the crime scene and back home. Hand squeezing slightly, Shinichi whispered softly, "Let's get you home."

"Wait, Shinichi," Kaito breathed suddenly, halting in his step. Slowly, he lifted his head to reveal a partially pained, partially bitter smile on his lips with broken look in his eyes to match. "I want to go there. Please."

"Kaito…" Shinichi began doubtfully, brows knitting upward in concern.

"It _is_ my funeral, after all," Kaito said with a forced laugh. His laugh died on his lips when Shinichi pulled him down for a quick kiss. Surprised, Kaito stared questioningly at him. Shinichi rarely did things like that, Kaito regretfully had to admit.

"Don't force yourself to smile," Shinichi mumbled in embarrassment, turning to direct them towards the city. "It's painful to look at."

"But if I do, you'll kiss me again, right?" Kaito asked with a hint of a real smile. The detective simply scowled from before him. At that, Kaito paused and jerked on Shinichi's arm to pull him back into a tight embrace from behind. Burying his face in Shinichi's shoulder, he whispered quietly, "Thank you."

Silence consumed them for a moment, as Shinichi obediently let Kaito hold him. Once Kaito pulled back with a sheepish smile, Shinichi closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. Then, without another word, the two continued to where Kaito would see his fans mourning for his death.

They stayed away from the bulk of the crowd and on higher ground to observe the others. Kaito was surprised to find Aoko standing timidly in the crowd with her tragedy-stricken friends at her side. Hakuba was not there—he really believed Kaito was Kid and there was no reason to go to a funeral for a living person. Kaito had to smile at that.

The crowd seemed endless with several familiar faces scattered about. A few were surprises to Kaito and Shinichi, as Nakamori himself was there, while others were to be expected—Sonoko was visible with her boyfriend. Shinichi noted that Ran, wearing a truly sorrowful expression, was just a few feet behind Sonoko. Everywhere, fans were crying and lamenting. It was so much that Kaito had to avert his gaze to the glittering night sky. And before the ceremony even began, Kaito faintly tugged on Shinichi's sleeve and they slipped away again.

It was a silent walk back to Shinichi's house. Kaito was usually the one to laugh and make jokes as they went, but today he was completely silent. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his gaze was glued to the ground. Here and there he would kick a pebble in his path, but that was the only sound that was made between them. Shinichi knew he _could have_ said something, but there was simply nothing to say for both of them.

So they were silent.

They were silent when they slipped into the dark house and silent when they closed the door behind them. They were silent when the went upstairs and silent when they paused at Shinichi's bedroom door. That was when Shinichi finally find himself speaking again.

"I'm sorry, Kaito."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Kaito replied in a croaked voice with a fake smile and an attempt at a careless shrug. "I know better than anyone that I can't be Kid forever."

Shinichi could only watch him shake in silence. When Kaito stepped forward and rested his forehead on his shoulder again, he simply closed his eyes in submission.

"Shinichi, just for tonight, let me hold you."

He instantly tensed and froze when Kaito's strong blue gaze lifted to stare hopelessly at him. Shinichi knew he was at the point in which Kaito could have done anything to him and he would have allowed it. But before he could respond, Kaito intercepted with a smile.

"Don't worry. I really don't plan on doing anything to you. Just let me stay with you in your room."

Shinichi could only nod mutely in surprise.

"Of course I wouldn't do anything to you when you're just pitying me," Kaito explained, smile still adorning his face. "Although it _is_ very tempting."

Managing a soft scowl, Shinichi turned and pushed his door open. In the darkness of his room, he let a tiny smile cross his lips. Kaito was still the same, and for now, he could pretend everything would be fine.

But that was only for now.

Kaito came from behind and hugged him tightly again.

Then Shinichi found himself silently wishing "now" could last just a little bit longer.

* * *

Somehow, they had fallen into a routine. After the first night Kaito spent in Shinichi's bedroom, he continued to return each day. Shinichi had long since given up on fighting against the stubborn idiot. He hardly even lifted a finger in disapproval when Kaito cheerfully suggested moving in. Shinichi really could hardly call it moving in at all. All Kaito did was stuff a few of his clothes into Shinichi's closet and a few other things here and there. If anything, it was more like an extended slumber party.

Two weeks after the fateful first night of the extended slumber party, the two found themselves groggily woken up by the sound of Kaito's cell phone noisily announcing a call. It was already nearing seven in the morning, but they had gotten home late from work and ended up collapsing into bed at four. If anything, they both wanted to ignore the call, but the caller was persistent and the phone continued to ring.

"Answer it already, Kaito," Shinichi mumbled sleepily, swatting blindly at the arm that was wrapped around his waist. "And actually wear a shirt to sleep."

Kaito cracked his eyes open with much difficulty. He was usually good about waking up in the morning, but holding onto Shinichi was so comfortable, the last thing he wanted to do was get up and answer the phone. As he reached his arm out to the nightstand to fumble around for his phone, he commented with a yawn, "On the contrary, if you _didn't_ wear a shirt or pajamas all together, I think I'd be much happier."

Just as his hand closed around on his phone, Kaito felt a pillow smack his face squarely, courtesy of the sleepy and irritated Shinichi. He managed a laugh before flipping his phone open and pulling it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Kaito!" urgently came Aoko's teary-sounding voice.

Eyes snapping completely open, Kaito sat up straight, making Shinichi rub his eyes and gaze up questioningly up at him. Now fully awake, Kaito demanded with more urgency than the girl, "Aoko? What's wrong?"

"It's Hakuba-kun! He…He's been shot!"

Shinichi instantly bolted up when Kaito's hand began shaking violently and his eyes widened in an instant. Aoko was still sobbing on the other line, but Kaito made no sound at all. Gently, Shinichi took the phone from the other boy's hand and spoke quickly to the girl, soothing her while collecting information at the same time. Kaito was in too much shock to even realize he was no longer holding the phone.

"I got the hospital information," Shinichi said gently after hanging up the phone. He rested a hand lightly on Kaito's shaking fist. "Kaito, he'll be fine. Get dressed and we'll go see him."

Kaito could only clench his teeth and squeeze his eyes shut, managing a swift nod before tossing the sheets off his legs. Over the course of time, Hakuba had become a friend. A good friend. Despite their rivalry and frequent teasing, Kaito knew Hakuba saw him as a friend as well. With news like this, there was no way he would not worry. That was when he paused in his step as a bitter smile slowly curved over his lips. So this is the agony Hakuba had felt when he heard the news of Kaitou Kid's death.

Neither Shinichi or Kaito spoke until they reached the hospital. Aoko and her father were already seated in the waiting room, and the moment Kaito set foot into waiting room, Aoko rose to her feet and dashed into his arms. While Kaito silently held her sobbing form, Shinichi sidestepped them and made his way towards Nakamori.

"I'm a bit surprised to see you here," Nakamori commented, folding his arms.

"The same goes for you," Shinichi replied rather dryly. He sighed when he felt Kaito's gaze on the back of his head. Down to business. "How is he?"

"He's fine. The doctors are just running some tests," the man explained, rising from his seat. "It was close though. Another inch over and the bullet would've been too close to his heart to be saved. He's a smart kid, rotating his body just enough for him to survive."

Shinichi glanced over his shoulder at Kaito, whose gaze had turned serious and was directed sharply at Nakamori. Then, before Shinichi could even open his mouth to ask, Kaito demanded icily, "Who did it?"

The man sighed in an irate fashion and closed his eyes. "The two escapees from Kid's last heist were trying to recreate their organization. On the way home, Hakuba here noticed one of them and followed him. He almost tailed the perpetrator all the way to his hideout, but he got discovered and…well, the police found him bleeding and unconscious about two hours ago."

He could tell without looking that Kaito was furious. Shinichi closed his eyes for a second to process all the information and instinctively turned to catch Kaito's arm before he could charge out of the hospital in blind fury. Aoko was still sniffling at their sides, and Kaito's head was ducked low. Shinichi could only imagine how he felt. His enemies had hurt his friend. Quietly, he began, "Kaito…"

"I won't forgive them, Shinichi," Kaito snarled, his body shaking under Shinichi's grasp. Before he could get another word out, a nurse stepped in and softly announced that they could see the patient. Kaito hardly wasted a second. Shinichi had to jog to keep his grip on the other boy's arm intact.

Kicking the door open, Kaito stormed in angrily and marched over to the bed. Shinichi was left stunned at the door while Kaito furiously exclaimed his friend's name. "_Hakuba_!"

"Why so noisy in the morning?" Hakuba asked dully, lifting his arm to stick a finger in his ear. "Can't you keep it down in front of an injured person, Kuroba?"

"You bastard, I was worried!" Kaito exclaimed in bold irritation, wanting nothing more than to toss something at the wall. "You should know better than to be so…so stupid!"

"I'll admit I was careless, but I won't forget about your recent little stunt as well," Hakuba replied coldly, gaze fixed at the other boy. "I spent a two weeks thinking you were dead."

"I told you I'm not Kid," Kaito growled in frustration. "And that's beside the point here! Hakuba, you…! Damn it!"

Before Kaito could go on a rampage through the hospital, Shinichi stepped into the room and grabbed the other teen by the shoulders to gently direct him towards a chair. Kaito scowled and attempted to contain himself since Shinichi was shooting him that commanding look again. Hakuba was watching with slight amusement on his face. His expression only changed when Shinichi turned to him and folded his arms to begin his inquiry.

"Did you make it to the hideout?"

"No," Hakuba sighed, leaning back on his pillow. "But I most definitely remember the area. I'm going to conduct a search immediately, but I doubt they'll be stupid enough to stay there after I followed them so far."

"You're not going anywhere, Hakuba-kun!" Aoko called firmly from the doorway as she stomped in determinedly. As if announcing it as fact, she went on, "Hakuba-kun is going to stay here until he's healed!"

Hakuba instantly protested with a frown, "Don't be ridiculous, I couldn't possibly just sit here and st—"

"Oh yes, you are," Kaito cut in irritably from where he was sitting. "We'll take care of the search. You just stay here and try not to die."

"You look down on me, Kuroba," came the reply with a matching smirk.

"Talk to me after you're healed," Kaito snapped, earning himself another reprimanding glare from Shinichi. Unable to bear the atmosphere any more, he ran a hand roughly through his hair and rose to his feet. With Shinichi at his heels, he made his way towards the door.

"They're still after Kaitou Kid," Hakuba called from the bed, a serious expression on his face. "Their logic is that if there's no body, then Kid is still alive. Be careful, Kuroba. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want."

While Aoko stared at his back, puzzled, Kaito could only close his eyes and comment stonily, "I already told you I'm not Kid."

With that, Kaito stepped out of the room with his hands shoved into his pockets. Shinichi lingered for a moment at the doorway to explain, "I'm sure you already know, but he's just frustrated. He was such a panic when he heard what happened to you. He seems angry, but he's just glad you're ok."

"I definitely know that," Hakuba replied simply, sighing slightly. "For someone as open as Kuroba, it's surprising that he can't express himself very well. Look after him, Kudou. Keep him from doing anything overly idiotic."

"I just hope I can," Shinichi mumbled to himself as he excused himself from the room.

Although Kaito only had a few seconds worth of a head start, Shinichi still had to jog vigorously to catch up with him. He could tell Kaito was extremely angry. When he got like that, he tended to use long strides, and Kaito's long strides were definitely hard to keep up with. Kaito hadn't been called a phantom thief for nothing, Shinichi reminded himself.

"Kaito," Shinichi called when he finally caught up with the other teen. Kaito slowed his paced considerably for Shinichi to walk comfortably beside him to catch his breath. Glancing at the still sulking other boy out of the corner of his eye, Shinichi sighed slightly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because there's nothing else I can do," he mumbled in response, eyes shaded by his drooping bangs. "There's nothing else I can do, Shinichi. I can't stand it."

Suddenly, as if finally realizing what he had done, Shinichi felt a wave of guilt. It was a distinct stinging in his chest, a painful sensation he had already grown used to from constant lies to Ran when he was Conan, but it felt sharper than usual for some reason. Pausing in his steps, he reached over and grasped the edge of the other boy's sleeve. Slightly angry and irritated with himself, he asked in a shaky voice, "Is it wrong to selfishly protect someone from what makes them happy? Even when that person's life is at stake?"

Kaito then turned and smiled lightly, stating silently that he understood even when Shinichi was confused. "Silly," he laughed lightly, ruffling the teen's hair. "The two of us, we do that every day."

"But you're unhappy," Shinichi stated pointedly, eyes sharpening a bit as he became more serious. "I'm just being…childish."

"I'm not completely unhappy, and everyone makes sacrifices at some point," Kaito replied, turning back around. "I'm sure you realize that. Besides, I've said so before. I couldn't possibly be Kaitou Kid forever."

"That's where you're wrong."

Kaito halted immediately, hair hanging darkly over his eyes.

"You'll always be Kid. Even now, you're still Kid."

At that, Kaito let out a soft laugh as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Funny how that works out, doesn't it, Shinichi?"

* * *

Much to Shinichi's surprise, Kaito continued working with the police the next few weeks or so. Exactly as Hakuba had suspected, the criminals fled their hideout within a day or so of being tailed. Shinichi and Kaito had burst into an empty warehouse with nothing left but various cigarette butts littered about the floor. Kaito's behavior had grown increasingly darker, and when they turned up at the hideout much too late, he smashed his fist into iron doorframe. Shinichi could only watch in silence as Kaito glared darkly about the room, blood flowing freely from his wounded knuckles. When Kaito busied himself with inspecting the room, Shinichi found himself unable to look at his friend and averted his eyes.

Most of the time, Kaito made an extremely valiant attempt to act as if he were perfectly fine and unaffected, especially when Hakuba was released from the hospital. He had most others fooled, but Shinichi knew better. It was the way Kaito stared longingly out the window at the night sky when they ate dinner, the way he would pull Shinichi close to him for an embrace at increasingly more times, or the way his laughter sounded fake sometimes and his eyes would glimmer as if the jewel he longed for was just barely out of his reach. Just with those clues, Shinichi knew and he dreaded. He hardly needed to be a detective to understand what Kaito was distantly thinking of all the time.

"I feel like spoiling you today," Kaito declared aloud as he leaned forward to rest his arms on the edge of the bathtub. The far too long sleeves of his knit sweater hung just millimeters above the translucent water, and when Kaito leaned forward to rest his head on the place where his arms crossed, the knit dipped into the water and rapidly became dark with absorption. As if caused by a chain reaction, the low v-neck of his sweater shifted, revealing gratuitous amounts of his collarbone as it did so, and allowed more of his sleeve to dip into the water.

Shinichi sighed as he watched Kaito's sleeves slowly collect water and sank down a bit lower into the water. The first time Kaito had cheerfully invaded his bath time, Shinichi had hurled a bar of soap at his head in utter humiliation and shock. Kaito had attempted to catch it, but ended up slipping on the rug instead and falling gracelessly into the tub on top of the other boy. Kaito had burst out laughing at that, while Shinichi simply frowned at how his towel was now thoroughly soaked. After that, Kaito decided it would be better to sit in the corner and read (while occasionally making small talk) while Shinichi bathed. When Shinichi thought about it, he realized it was a rather strange they did, but he had more or less grown used to it. Letting out a sigh, he reached over and lifted the ends of Kaito's sleeves out of the water and wrung them out the best he could with wet hands and Kaito's hands dangling from them. Dryly, he commented, "You had better hope this thing doesn't shrink."

"Hey," Kaito began with a pout, pulling his sleeves free. "I was the one who said I wanted to spoil _you_. Not the other way around."

"Can't be helped if you're so childish," Shinichi replied with a faint grin on his face as he lay back more comfortably again. He had just closed his eyes, but after hearing the vague sound of shuffling, he cracked on eye open again. Kaito was lifting his sweater over his head to remove it, effectively exposing his bare chest. Shinichi quickly turned away when he felt his face heat up. "J-Just what do you think you're doing?"

"What? I'm taking my sweater off," the other teen replied with a cheeky grin. "It _is_ wet. Would you rather I keep it on? I didn't know you had a wet clothes fetish."

Sputtering in embarrassment, Shinichi swiftly turned around and splashed some more water at the other boy in retaliation. Kaito laughed in response even while he was efficiently drenched. Water dripping from his bangs, he grinned and made a gesture towards his blotched pants. "How naughty, Shinichi! Targeting my pants so I would take them off…not that I mind of course." Leaning forward with a predatory smirk, he whispered, "I love it when you're naughty. It makes you incredibly sexy."

"And it makes _you_ incredibly perverted," Shinichi snapped back in response, face set aflame by Kaito's close proximity. He could swear that if Kaito came about a centimeter closer, his lips would be on his ear.

"Again, your fault," Kaito replied cheerfully, pulling back a bit, much to Shinichi's relief. He rose to his feet and stretched his arms out. When Shinichi turned faintly to glance at him out of the corner of his eye, Kaito grinned crookedly and squatted back down again. Lips still curved upward, he muttered, "Move over."

At that, Shinichi blinked rapidly in confusion. Upon realizing that Kaito was unbuckling his pants, his face instantly flushed red again. "W-What are you doing?"

"Relax, I'm not going to do anything to you," Kaito laughed. "I just want to get in with you."

"That's not doing something?" Shinichi asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice. Despite his embarrassment, he actually complied and scrunched forward a bit, allowing Kaito to slink in behind him. He was sure his face was beyond red by now, so he refused to lean back. Instead, he pulled his knees up to his chin and put his arms around his legs.

Behind him, Kaito was smirking at the other boy's painfully obvious embarrassment. Shinichi was never very good at being subtle about that kind of thing. It was always up to Kaito to take the initiative. Which he did. With excellent precision at that. Slowly, he leaned forward and let his fingers trace the teen detective's back, making him stiffen. Chuckling a bit at the reaction, Kaito continued to inch forward until he could comfortably allow his lips to trace over the back of Shinichi's neck.

"You're a tease and I hate you," Shinichi grumbled, practically dunking his head into t he water when Kaito's lips strayed to his ear.

"It's incredibly ironic that you're the one saying that," Kaito laughed, finally working his arms around Shinichi's waist. He pulled the other boy back flush against his body and laughed again when Shinichi hunched over in pure mortification. "You're way too cute, Shinichi."

It took a bit more coaxing to finally get Shinichi to properly relax again. Eventually, he slouched down and allowed his head to lean back gently on the other boy's shoulder. The offending blush was still presently visible on his face though, Kaito noticed with an amused grin. They sat in the bathtub for a bit longer until Kaito judged that Shinichi was practically asleep. Once out, Kaito admired Shinichi's dripping wet body unabashedly with the same smirk on his face while Shinichi hardly had the courage to even look the other boy in the eye.

Much to Shinichi's relief, they changed into their pajamas back to back. Or rather, Shinichi changed into his pajamas, and Kaito put on the pants (simply pants hardly qualified as pajamas in Shinichi's opinion) he wore to sleep. As they were putting Kaito's wet and abandoned clothes away, Shinichi paused and draped a towel over the other boy's head without warning and began to rub vigorously. "Stupid Kaito," he muttered as he did so. "You'll catch a cold if you sleep with wet hair."

As Shinichi's rubbing motions slowed, Kaito reached up and caught one of his wrists while peeking out from under the towel with a mischievous grin that slowly faded into a genuine smile. He yanked gently until Shinichi was close and pressed his lips tentatively to the other teen's. He tasted the same as always, but still somehow sweeter. Shinichi rarely protested to his advances anymore, and Kaito felt significantly encouraged.

"What's the occasion?" Shinichi asked a bit breathlessly once Kaito gently broke away. Brows furrowed suspiciously, he went on slowly, "You're being a bit too sweet to be your usual self."

Kaito laughed at that comment and tossed the wet towel, which had still been draped over his head, into the hamper. "What _ever_ do you mean, Shin-chan?" he asked with a fake sugary tone while batting his lashes expertly. "I should know by now I'm always a charmer."

Rolling his eyes, Shinichi turned on his heel and headed towards his bed. However, before he could take more than two steps, Kaito's arms encircled his waist suddenly and the weight of his forehead rested on Shinichi's shoulder. Slowly, Shinichi brought his hand up to lightly touch the top of Kaito's head even though his gaze never lingered from where it rested ahead. There were knots in his stomach, and that was enough to explain everything to him. Quietly, he muttered, "Do you have to do it?"

"I can't just sit around like this anymore," Kaito whispered in reply, voice slightly muffled in Shinichi's shoulder. "They're after me. I can't stand to think other people will be getting hurt for that reason."

"What about if you get hurt?" Shinichi asked rather dejectedly as Kaito's grip on his waist tightened lightly. "Don't make me find you all injured again. I'll kill you myself if I do."

At that, Kaito laughed softly and lifted his head from Shinichi's shoulder. "Well, I see _some_ things never change. Shinichi will always be violent."

"Shut up," the detective grumbled with a flushed face.

"Nah, I like you that way," Kaito declared with a grin, spinning Shinichi around so that they faced each other. Smile turning vaguely bitter and sad, Kaito muttered, "If I wasn't Kid, I would have gladly spent eternity like how it's been recently."

"No," Shinichi interjected with a faint smirk. "If you weren't Kid, you just wouldn't be you anymore. _I_ like _you_ this way. You'll always be Kid, even if he doesn't roam the skies anymore. You're going to be Kid until you die—even I can see that."

Without a second thought, Kaito snatched the other boy forward and kissed him deeply. His eyes were squeezed so tightly shut, he was almost afraid he would be unable to open them again. When Kaito finally allowed Shinichi to breathe again, their eyes became locked. Even Shinichi's embarrassment would not allow him to turn away. Finally, Kaito smiled faintly and reached out to pull the other boy into a tight embrace.

"I'll still stay here," he promised almost frantically as Shinichi's arms slowly came up to his back. "And we'll still eat together and go to school together. You can still hit me in the face in the mornings with your pillow, and I'll still be here to laugh. I promise. I'll never come back to you injured, but I'll always come back. Shinichi…!"

"It's still so like you to be immature and childish," Shinichi murmured fondly with a faint laugh. Very slowly, he let his hands trail down Kaito's back while he buried his own face in his chest. As Kaito noticeably stiffened at the surprise contact, Shinichi muttered embarrassedly, "Still as spoiled as ever."

"S-Shinichi," Kaito hissed through clenched teeth and one eye squeezed shut. His face had heated up considerably, and his hold on the other teen had tightened yet again. Letting his head droop forward, he croaked out labouredly, "I-If you keep touching me like that, I…"

"It doesn't matter," Shinichi muttered, voice muffled by Kaito's chest. "The moon's falling tonight."

"That's because it got burned by the sun," Kaito replied heartily in agreement, reaching over to gently pull Shinichi's hands away from his lower waist. Soft smile on his face, he said with a faint laugh, "That's why there's no moon in the sky some nights."

"It never fails to rise again though."

Kaito laughed as he pulled Shinichi close again and let them both fall lightly on top of the bouncy mattress of Shinichi's bed. "I'm sorry that can't be helped."

Blushing as Kaito carefully leaned forward again, Shinichi muttered with a faint laugh, "…spoiled brat."

* * *

Kaitou Kid's return had been spectacular.

Every newspaper in the country seemed to have his picture plastered over the front page, which joyously weeping fans and irritated police officers alike clutched between their fingers. Shinichi had gone out that night to watched the show. He had promised Kaito he would, and not as a detective for once. It was breathtaking, white doves and falling stars burned into his memory, but Shinichi never told him that. He simply returned home with a faint smile on his lips and waited for Kaito to return home so he could chastise him about coming in from the door instead of the window.

"Kuroba's been more lively lately," Hakuba commented musingly, a trace of a smirk visible on his lips. Casting Shinichi a side-glance, he chuckled, "I would never be able to guess why."

Shinichi smiled faintly in response and commented with a shrug, "The moon simply can't stay fallen after all."

Owari.

* * *

**A/N:** All full of magical _lameness_. 8D I so fail at writing this pair. asd;lfkjda;s

Thanks for reading!


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